Classic Mimosa

The classic combination of orange juice and champagne is the first thing that comes to mind when you see “Mimosa” on a cocktail menu. Though the origins of this popular brunch drink are hazy at best, this simple combination makes for an easy and versatile cocktail that you can whip up in seconds.

While these particular varieties may not be readily available where you are, any combination of citrus should make a delicious mimosa. Think tangerine and Meyer lemon or blood orange and navel orange.

I love playing with flavor combinations like everyone, but sometimes it’s nice to get used to a classic.

What is the best champagne for mimosa?

Seasoned drinkers will skip the champagne and substitute a less expensive but still delicious alternative, as the subtleties of flavor and aroma that command a champagne price tag are lost when mixed with the juice.

So which sparkling wine should you use?

If the quality of the bubbles is particularly important to you, you have options.

• Prosecco is my personal favourite. Produced in tanks, it features larger bubbles while the brightness and acidity offset the sweet OJ.
• Cava is fermented in barrels, creating smaller, longer-lasting bubbles.

If you want a simple sparkling wine, Brut is a good standard. Additionally, Brut’s lower sugar content pairs well with sweeter fruit juices, such as freshly squeezed orange juice.

Mimosa Variations

While it may seem like a hassle to pull out a juicer when all you want is a cocktail, believe me when I tell you it’s worth it! Fresh-squeezed juice is lighter and cleaner-tasting than its pasteurized, store-bought counterpart. It also has better texture and body, making for better cocktails.

Want to mix up your citrus? Here are my favorite pairings:

• Tangerine and Meyer lemon
• White grapefruit and orange
• blood orange and lime

What is the best mimosa glass?

Here’s a fun fact: how we serve a mimosa today isn’t how it was traditionally served almost a century ago. One of the first published recipes for mimosa calls for drinking it out of a wine glass… with ice. Now we associate it with the champagne flute without ice.

I think we should make a note of this change of drinking vessel and serve it however you like. If you want to stay in the wine glass category, stemless wine glasses are a more casual option. But continue with a traditional flute if it suits your occasion.

How to make a mimosa

If you are working with orange juice and a sparkling wine like Prosecco that has a lot of bubbles, Start with the wine first and pour slowly.

Beverages can fizz and spill when wine is added to an already partially full glass of orange juice. If you feel your drink isn’t blended properly, stir gently with a long spoon or—my favorite mixing tool—a chopstick.

Zero proof mimosas

Do you love a mimosa but can’t or don’t want alcohol? You can pour a non-alcoholic sparkling wine instead. With the growing interest in soft drinks, there are so many great options now. Here are a few of my tips:

• Regis Brut
• Fre Sparkling Brut by Sutter Home Wines
• Señorío de la Tautila Sparkling Rosé

How to garnish your mimosa

While a classic mimosa is great to drink, it’s a bit bland to look at. Try some of these suggestions to garnish your drink:

• Surround your glass with sparkling sugar crystals or colored caster sugar.
• Add an orange wheel to your glass as well (blood oranges make a nice contrast).
• Add a skewer of seasonal berries.

More great drink recipes!

• Mojito with mint and lime
• Sparkling strawberry sangria
• Hibiscus Spritz
• Apricot and White Wine Porch Sangria
• Watermelon Rose Mimosa
• Pineapple Mango Mimosa
• Hard cider mimosa with pomegranate